diff --git a/tests/unit/test_base_command.py b/tests/unit/test_base_command.py
index fc6cf2b7a..ba34b3922 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_base_command.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_base_command.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import logging
 import os
 import time
 
+from mock import patch
+
 from pip._internal.cli.base_command import Command
 from pip._internal.utils.logging import BrokenStdoutLoggingError
 
@@ -72,6 +74,16 @@ class TestCommand(object):
         assert 'Traceback (most recent call last):' in stderr
 
 
+@patch('pip._internal.cli.req_command.Command.handle_pip_version_check')
+def test_handle_pip_version_check_called(mock_handle_version_check):
+    """
+    Check that Command.handle_pip_version_check() is called.
+    """
+    cmd = FakeCommand()
+    cmd.main([])
+    mock_handle_version_check.assert_called_once()
+
+
 class Test_base_command_logging(object):
     """
     Test `pip.base_command.Command` setting up logging consumers based on
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_commands.py b/tests/unit/test_commands.py
index 42a18a819..be6c78352 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_commands.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_commands.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import pytest
+from mock import patch
 
 from pip._internal.cli.req_command import (
     IndexGroupCommand,
@@ -7,6 +8,10 @@ from pip._internal.cli.req_command import (
 )
 from pip._internal.commands import commands_dict, create_command
 
+# These are the expected names of the commands whose classes inherit from
+# IndexGroupCommand.
+EXPECTED_INDEX_GROUP_COMMANDS = ['download', 'install', 'list', 'wheel']
+
 
 def check_commands(pred, expected):
     """
@@ -51,19 +56,50 @@ def test_index_group_commands():
     """
     Test the commands inheriting from IndexGroupCommand.
     """
-    expected = ['download', 'install', 'list', 'wheel']
-
     def is_index_group_command(command):
         return isinstance(command, IndexGroupCommand)
 
-    check_commands(is_index_group_command, expected)
+    check_commands(is_index_group_command, EXPECTED_INDEX_GROUP_COMMANDS)
 
     # Also check that the commands inheriting from IndexGroupCommand are
     # exactly the commands with the --no-index option.
     def has_option_no_index(command):
         return command.parser.has_option('--no-index')
 
-    check_commands(has_option_no_index, expected)
+    check_commands(has_option_no_index, EXPECTED_INDEX_GROUP_COMMANDS)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('command_name', EXPECTED_INDEX_GROUP_COMMANDS)
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'disable_pip_version_check, no_index, expected_called',
+    [
+        # pip_version_check() is only called when both
+        # disable_pip_version_check and no_index are False.
+        (False, False, True),
+        (False, True, False),
+        (True, False, False),
+        (True, True, False),
+    ],
+)
+@patch('pip._internal.cli.req_command.pip_version_check')
+def test_index_group_handle_pip_version_check(
+    mock_version_check, command_name, disable_pip_version_check, no_index,
+    expected_called,
+):
+    """
+    Test whether pip_version_check() is called when handle_pip_version_check()
+    is called, for each of the IndexGroupCommand classes.
+    """
+    command = create_command(command_name)
+    options = command.parser.get_default_values()
+    options.disable_pip_version_check = disable_pip_version_check
+    options.no_index = no_index
+
+    command.handle_pip_version_check(options)
+    if expected_called:
+        mock_version_check.assert_called_once()
+    else:
+        mock_version_check.assert_not_called()
 
 
 def test_requirement_commands():